Friday, March 22, 2013

Let me introduce you to "Propeller" who have won my album cover art of the year (so far) with their second album "Don't Be Sorry Again." But, you can't judge a book by its cover, right? Wrong. Firstly, this is a record anyway and secondly, it is packed to the rim with some fantastic cuts of Power Pop/Indie Rock, complete with chunky, chopping guitars, songs with strong melodies and hooks that will have you reminiscing of bands like Teenage Fanclub, in their early to mid career stage, Dinosaur Jr. The Replacements and Superdrag, to name a few, but they have plenty of originality to their sound to keep you hanging on every line delivered.

This is an album to be played loud to enjoy it to the maximum, and, for me personally, this would be great driving music and is certainly an album that will be making its way into my car stereo, home stereo and Ipod, this really is a blinder of an album and at a name your price fee, it is an absolute steal. Yes, you can get it for free, but if you like it, please pay something as it will ensure that we get to hear more from Propleller in the future and for that not to happen would be a crime. Go get it!!!!

Re-grouping in a San Rafael, CA garage, Propeller climbed out of the ashes of San Francisco's, Varsity Drag (comprised of members of Unbalanced and The Lemonheads), who's debut album "For Crying Out Loud" was released on the UK label Boss Tuneage and received favorable reviews worldwide. Propeller blends Greg Randall and Will Anderson's bright melodies with punchy guitar work which has produced "Don't Be Sorry Again" and "The Fear Of Rock And Roll". Solid records chock full of ultra-catchy gems. Propeller is an essential addition to any music lover who has The Replacements, Husker Du, Big Star, Buzzcocks, Teenage Fanclub and Dinosaur Jr., in their stack.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

There is something about bands from the Asturias region of Spain, where they just seem to strike the right balance in their form of Pop/Power Pop and The Starkwells are no exception to this rule, ok, it is a rule that I made up, but I stand by it completely!

The 4 tracks on this new EP from the 4 piece from Gijon have everything you could wish for, strong melodies, some nice guitar riffs and very pleasing harmonies driven along by a good solid rhythm section.

I can envisage this band going from strength to strength and releasing a great album in the future, one to keep your eyes on!

From Spain we travel to Italy to me "What, Really?" who hail from Brennero Turnpike which I believe sits somewhere between the mountains of Trento and the plains of Bologna, anyway, this isn't a geography lesson, but it is a lesson into how to knock out some adrenalin fuelled power pop with attitude, this is a really great promo and once again, I think we can expect great things from this 3 piece in the future, if this is the quality of their promo then I can only guess that what is to come is going to be brilliant!!!!

Mooner began life in 2007 as a bedroom project, in Oregon, of Lee Ketch, where he recorded all the instruments using some basic tools in attempt to pay homage to bands like The Hertbreakers, The Attractions, Television and Wilco, the type of tight rock that a solo dud couldn't be, in 2011 the band as they are now were formed and they certainly put out the tight rock with big guitars, hooks galore and a sound that equals or surpasses the bands influences.

Staying in the US, this time with Anna Bradley, which is not a solo artist as I first thought, but a band, none of whom are named Anna Bradley!

This is a great 4 track EP with a very big sound and a fantastic production, an almost wall of guitars type production, similar to MBV, Boo Radleys etc but cleaner-ish! Recorded at Mama Cocos Funky Kitchen, the band say that: "we run sticky melodies built from a lifetime of listening to and living classic and alternative pop songs on top of a purring, revving racecar of a rhythm section to create something that attempts to transcend the simple title "indie rock."

That sums them up perfectly, and, as with the other bands featured today, I expect more great things to come from Anna Bradley!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

A new twist for the "Ice Cream Man" today, the very first release in what will hopefully be the first of many digital releases under the title of "Ice Cream Man Power Pop and More presents......"

To kick it all off, I have chosen Brixtons ultimate Punk/Power Pop band "The Sharks" and selected 14 songs from their vast collection of music for your listening pleasure. This band will blow the bloody doors off with their upbeat, melodic punky power pop!

The purpose of these releases is to promote the bands beyond the realms of the blog and get this music out to as many people as possible, and, for our own pleasure, of course. Enjoy!

Many thanks to Paul Harvey, Davey Cane, Robbie Butcher and Will Udall of The Sharks for their kind co-operation with this first release.

Monday, March 18, 2013

In my attempt to catch up with myself after 3 weeks of no internet, I am going to round up all the singles that I have been sent in the last few weeks, starting off with this one from The Sensibles, which I featured last year and also finished in the joint number one spot with Bang 74. Why am I featuring it again? Well, the band have now decided to make the single available for FREE or a name your price fee. I absolutely love this EP and now you can too. Go get it here: Bandcamp

Now, if you like a little pop/psyche, then this one should certainly appeal to you, full of, well, pop and psyche, and done beautifully too!

Spires are a band from Brooklyn, New York formed in November 2012. Initially the home recording project of 22 year- old Matt Stevenson, the band has become more of a collaborative effort and now includes Andy Davis (guitar), Jack Collins (bass), and Ethan Snyder (drums). A follow up single to "Sterling" will be released in late February. For a list of upcoming shows visit the Spires Facebook page here: Facebook Find the download here: Bandcamp

The Smoggers - Breaking Your Boots With The Smoggers

Another one of our favourites on the blog is The Smoggers, freakbeat, gargage psyche at its very best!

Truly the Finest Amazing Fuzzed Out Trash that you are going to find on a 7” TODAY!!! With Four Hyper Psycho tracks (each one under 2 minutes) you are going to be Breaking more than your Boots when you slap this rekkid on and have your own Beat A Go Go! I'd call it Hard Core Garage!! Of course it’s recorded in MONO under deft production by none other than That Maniac Mike Mariconda !!!

Download the EP here: Bandcamp 400 7" singles were released for this, 200 in black vinyl and 200 in purple vinyl, all numbered, so if like me you love your vinyl, grab one at the brilliant KOTJ records here: KOTJ Records

Axolotl Daydream - Axolotl Daydream

Now, do we call this a mini album or an extended extended play? It doesn't really matter, it is free to download so just go and get it, this is some pretty sweet, melodic power pop from Salem, Oregon featuring father and son team Tim and Isaac King, Tim is the father who does the guitars and vocals and Isaac is the son, who coincidentally laid down these drums at the tender age of 11!!!!

Friday, March 15, 2013

Kevin Lee & The Kings lean on the rockier side of Power Pop with some chunky guitars, big hooks and driving beats pushing the songs forward nicely and are great to rock out to.

The songs on the album are extremely well written and produced to a very high standard and sometimes move at a pace that may make you think the songs are about something other than heart break, however, listening to the lyrics, these are very much songs of loss, love and despair.

They say an artist has to suffer for their art, and to produce an album like "Breakout," with its lyrical content, you can only imagine, but as far as producing a top quality album with some really touching, meaningful lyrics, Kevin Lee has certainly achieved that and we have gained an album of songs written with real passion and sincerity, not to mention energy.

On "Breakout" Kevin Lee and The Kings create classic, strong guitar rock/power pop with a modern edge. The rebellious "Burn it Down" gives listeners the confidence to face whatever life throws at them. And, from "Gold Digger" with it's quirky low-key verse to the ultra catchy "Too Little Too Late," Lee's songs stay in your head and keep you coming back for more.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

"The Ice Cream Man presents The Ice Cream Men"......was the first thing that came into my head when I stumbled across the name of this band from Metuchen, New Jersey, I just hoped that they wouldn't dissapoint when I listened to them and I am very pleased to say that they didn't.

I find it absolutely amazing that with such a great name and great tunes that they managed to evade me for so long, but no longer.

"Change is Gonna Come" was unleashed in 2010 and is chock full of poppy, well written songs and tunes and quite why this band aren't more well known is beyond me? The arrangements are first class with a subtle sax and piano drifting into the fantastic album opener "Cut an Apple" which sways along with a real bouncy summery feeling, in fact the whole album has that warmth too. Other stand out tracks are "Ruby Red Eyes" "Not Speaking" "Maybe On Monday" although it is quite fair to say that there is no weak track on this album, it is an absolute stomper of an album that doesn't fail to please on any level.

The band have made some of the tracks from this album available for free download on reverbnation, in fact, most of the album is there, but if you would like to support the band and get your hands on a physical CD copy of the band, then head on over to the bands facebook page and drop them a message.

Recommended if you like Squeeze, XTC, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers.

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Ice Cream Men here: Facebook

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Jeremy Porter & The Tucos, from Detroit, have released an album that encompasses everything that is great about music. The band display a real passion for Power Pop in the vein of Cheap Trick, but they don't fear to wander through the other styles that they are passionate about too. You may think that for a band to take these steps into such a diversity of styles could leave the band with an album in dissaray, but you would be wrong, this flows beautifully and keeps the listener interested and mesmerised within the diversity within the grooves.

Jeremy Porter grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and as a member of one of the first punk bands in the area, The Regulars, Jeremy learnt, at the age of 16, what a rock bar smells like.

By the lates 80's he was living in Detroit and playing at clubs all across the midwest and for two decades he would front bands touring and recording the states with bands such as Slugbug, The Offramps, Fidrych and more.

In 2010 Jeremy released his first solo album, "Party Of One" on Toronto's prestigious indie label "Magwheel Records" and toured the US and Canada extensively.

Jeremy Porter - Guitar, Vocals, Songs

Jason Bowes - Bass

Gabriel Doman - Drums

The more I play this record, the more I admire the band for playing what they love playing and not just slipping into the shoe that fits, even though every shoe seems to fit perfectly!

After some problems with my internet connection after relocating 300 meters up the road, I am finally back in business, anyone reading in Sweden, think carefully before choosing your broadband supplier!!!

Kicking things back into gear on "Ice Cream Man Power Pop and More" is one of my favourite bands at the moment, The Jac, with their latest offering "Record Store."

Regular readers will know that the band is made up of members from Australia, USA and Sweden who send music files to each other through cyber space and eventually deliver some fantastic pop nuggets for our delight and pleasure.

Needless to say the, The Jac, have this down to a very fine art as those of you that invested in the "Faux Pas" album already know, and this latest EP continues the trend of fine music for the band.

The four tracks that make up this EP meanders through different genres (if you like to pigeon hole things) and not only delivers the classic sound of The Jac's Power Pop influences but also dips into a bit of electronica and country and their rendition of these styles is tastefully done and fun, bloody good fun!

You won't find Joe, Herb and Stefan in the same room at the same time, here is Joe in a room at some time!

The band have commenced recording the next album which is tentatively titled, "Whether I'm Arthur or Martha" which I personally am very much looking forward to.

Contact Ice Cream Man

If you are a musician or in a band and you would like your band/music featured on the radio show, then please send me an e mail. The primary purpose of the show is to aid promotion of new bands. We look forward to hearing from you.icecreammanpowerpop@hotmail.com

About me

Followers.

Any links to anything on this blog are here either because it's something I own, ripped myself and uploaded or I found the links on the web. I do not host anything here in any manner. If you would like any of the links removed, drop me a line and I'll take care of it